[BUG] Cowork "VM connection timeout after 60 seconds" — guest never connects, all repair paths exhausted (Win 11 Pro, fresh image, Hyper-V verified)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

What's Wrong?

Cowork fails on every attempt with "Failed to start Claude's workspace — VM connection timeout after 60 seconds." All host-side steps complete in milliseconds (vm_boot ~316ms, add_plan9_shares ~16ms) but the Linux guest never establishes a connection — polls for 60s then times out at last completed step: add_plan9_shares.

Identical signature to #67066 and #48370.

Environment

• Claude Desktop 1.25927.0.0 x64 (MSIX)
• Windows 11 Pro, build 26200, x64
• HypervisorPresent: True
• No VPN, no Docker Desktop, Windows Defender only

Host stack verified healthy

• CoworkVMService: Running
• vmms, hns, vmcompute, SharedAccess: all Running
• HNS Default Switch present (type ICS)
• vEthernet (Default Switch): Up, 172.31.32.1
• Failure identical with Windows Defender Firewall fully disabled (all profiles)

Repair attempts (all failed identically)

1. Restart app / restart computer (multiple)
2. In-app workspace reinstall
3. Full uninstall + fresh install of Claude Desktop
4. Manual deletion of entire claudevm.bundle → fresh re-download, checksum-validated (vmlinuz + initrd checksums confirmed in log) → identical timeout on first boot of fresh image
5. Enabled full Hyper-V + Virtual Machine Platform + Windows Hypervisor Platform (vmms was initially absent; now Running — no change)
6. Manual CoworkVMService restarts

Log excerpt (fresh image, first boot)

2026-08-06 20:16:18 [VM:start] Bundle version: 6d1538ba6fecc4e5c5583993c4b30bb1875f0f5a
2026-08-06 20:16:18 [VM:steps] create_network completed (2ms)
2026-08-06 20:16:19 [VM:steps] vm_boot completed (316ms)
2026-08-06 20:16:19 [VM:steps] add_plan9_shares completed (16ms)
2026-08-06 20:16:29 → 20:17:10 [VM:start] Still waiting for guest connection... (101 polls)
2026-08-06 20:17:19 [error] Connection timeout, last completed step: add_plan9_shares

Note: Set-Service CoworkVMService -StartupType Automatic fails with Access Denied even as Administrator (service locked by installer).

Happy to provide full cowork_vm_node.log or run diagnostics.

cowork_vm_node.log

What Should Happen?

The Cowork workspace VM should boot and the Linux guest should establish a connection with the host within the 60-second window, allowing the Cowork workspace to start normally.

Error Messages/Logs

Failed to start Claude’s workspaceVM service not running. The service failed to start.Restarting Claude or your computer sometimes resolves this. If it persists, you can reinstall the workspace or share your debug logs to help us improve

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude Desktop 1.25927.0.0 on Windows 11 Pro (build 26200, x64)
2. Verify virtualization stack healthy: Hyper-V enabled, vmms/hns/vmcompute/SharedAccess all Running, HNS Default Switch present, HypervisorPresent: True
3. Launch Claude Desktop and open the Cowork tab
4. VM host-side steps all complete in milliseconds (vm_boot ~316ms, add_plan9_shares ~16ms)
5. Guest connection polls for 60 seconds, then fails: "Connection timeout, last completed step: add_plan9_shares"
6. Reproduces 100% of the time, including on first boot of a freshly downloaded checksum-validated VM bundle

Claude Model

Not sure / Multiple models

Is this a regression?

No, this never worked

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

1.25927.0.0

Platform

Other

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

_No response_